"The first victory we can claim is that our hearts are free of hatred. Hence we say to those who persecute us and who try to dominate us: ‘You are my brother. I do not hate you, but you are not going to dominate me by fear. I do not wish to impose my truth, nor do I wish you to impose yours on me. We are going to seek the truth together’. THIS IS THE LIBERATION WHICH WE ARE PROCLAIMING."
Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas (2002)

Saturday, December 10, 2011

International Human Rights Day is the Castro Regime's Rights Violations Day in Cuba

We cannot celebrate Human Rights Day here in Cuba. We can't because they repress us and beat us. Right now there's an act of repudiation in front of the Ladies in White headquarters." - Bertha Soler, Lady in White, The Associated Press, December 9, 2011

International Human Rights day in Cuba, unlike many other parts of the world, is cause for hope not celebration. Hope that one day soon the human rights of Cubans will be recognized and respected. Hope that the international community will speak with one voice and tell the dictatorship in Cuba that Cubans have a right to their rights.

The days leading up to International Human Rights Day on December 10 have been filled with human rights violations in Cuba. Unfortunately, it appears that the Castro regime will repeat its tradition of systematically violating human rights on human rights day.

Cuban human rights defenders maintain their steadfast hopes that this will change but know that there is much work yet to be done to see that International Human Rights day is once again cause for celebration and not repression in Cuba.